These tools provide improved access and accommodate for learner differences. Additionally, they are fun and engaging!
Free Text-to-Speech
(Why? Two reasons - 1. It is essential for struggling readers; when text is digital it is now accessible and 2. it supports the writing process, especially when editing and revising work)
WordTalk - a free text-to-speech program for the PC that works within WORD and Outlook and highlights each word that is read. Includes a talking spell checker and a talking thesaurus. Watch this teachertube.com video that I created to learn how to use it. It's best to watch it full screen.
Natural Reader - another free text-to-speech software program which converts any written text to speech (Word, pdf, websites, emails)
Click,Speak - a free Firefox extension that reads the Internet and highlights phrases and sentences as it reads
PowerTalk - free text-to-speech for PowerPoint presentations
Talklets - make any website talk, embed in your website, blog or wiki
Read The Words - Register first, upload file or choose text or website to read, a recording is generated which you can listen to online or download to an mp3 player, upload to a blog, etc. Very Cool tool worth letting your students explore.
YakIToMe! - Listen to important documents, PowerPoint presentations, emails, RSS feeds, blogs and novels. YAKiToMe! is multi-lingual (English, Spanish, French ...) and brings you the world's best text-to-speech (TTS) synthesis technologies. Easily converts to podcasts.
((Word Talk is a MUST have download! There are a number of other programs but these are preferred because they work right within the program AND highlight the text as it is read. No need to open a new window.) Free Speech-to-Text
It is built into Office 2003 for Windows and VISTA. Explore it.
UDL Editions - Leveled support for seven texts geared for ages 10 and up
Poetry Foundation - free resource to find poetry by category, by name, by title, by author, or by first line. It's digital, attach a voice and it's now accessible!
Read/write/think - Interactive digital activities (click the student materials link and then click the interactive links - there are many to choose from)
Ghotit - Online context spell checker service, the BEST spell checker for students with LDs! Tell them to add it to their home computers.
Math Tools
Math Playground - excellent site for Math activities for K - 8, make sure to explore the Mathcasts. Mathcasts allow students to review math when THEY need to.
Thinking Blocks - a creative, interactive math resource to help students understand how to solve word problems. Watch the video here to learn how to use it.
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives - a library of uniquely interactive, web-based virtual manipulatives or concept tutorials, mostly in the form of Java applets, for mathematics instruction (K-12 emphasis)
Study Skills Tools
CueCard - an electronic flashcard program download with multiple features including ability to import audio and graphics. Keeps track of correct responses and can be printed out.
Study Stack - create interactive web-based flashcards or use ones that are already created; if you use stacks that are already created, check them first as there are errors in several of the created stacks.
Flash Card Machine - allows the user to create interactive web-based study flash cards.
Quizlet - described as an online tool for learning vocabulary
Awesome Highlighter - tool that highlights text on a web page; save the URL or email it
Create note taking templates in Word
Use "Power of Color" within Word (background color, highlighting color and font color tools) to reinforce concepts, to determine salient points and for review
Use the "Organizational Chart" in the Diagram Gallery that is part of the Drawing Toolbar in Word to reinforce concepts and relationships which promotes learning.
In Word, press the Alt tab + mouse click within a word to access the Research pane. When you are online, you will instantly get a definition of the word.
Zoho - full suite of online, collaboration tools - word processor, presentation, notetaking (can insert audio), spreadsheets, planner. Worth exploring!
Go 2 Web 2.0 - here you will find every Web 2.0 application imaginable. There are tools for everything. Constantly updated!
Web 2.0 Tools - (These tools especially benefit the learner with reading, organizational or attentional issues as the material can be easily retrieved, read or listened to online)
Wikis - provide group collaboration opportunities and study guides
Blogs - provide opportunities for written expression without time constraints and can use text-to-speech, spell check, grammar check etc. before posting. Blogs are great for students who are less vocal IN class, for a variety of reasons, but still want a chance to participate in discussions
Podcasts/videocasts
Web-based social bookmarking tools such as Delicious or Portaportal - create class favorites that your students can retrieve anywhere to help them study
Multimedia and Digital Storytelling Tools
Voice Thread - capture audio for online digital storytelling. THIS IS A MUST HAVE! The pro version is free to K-12 educators.
Photo Story 3 for Windows - you will be amazed at how quickly you can create slide shows or movies from your class photos. Upload your photos in seconds, easily add music and you have a year end presentation of your class activities. MANY other uses.
ScrapBlog - Create online multimedia scrapbooks from your text, video, audio and photos
Flip Books - Create online multimedia scrapbooks from your text and photos
Animoto - create fully customized videos of user-selected images and music almost instantaneously. The web appliciaiotn does all the work once you select your images and audio. This one is so cool!
Project Spectrum - Google Sketchup Tutorial for use with students on the Autism Spectrum
ZacBrowser - Web Browser designed by a grandfather for his grandson who is on the Autism Spectrum. Appropriate for young children or those with developmental disabilities
Diigo - a powerful social annotation research tool, with highlighting features
Cast UDL Lesson Builder - provides educators with models and tools to create and adapt lessons that increase access and participation in the general education curriculum for all students.
Checklists - linear alternative to rubrics, easily create guides for students' projects.
Note Star - helps organize notes and bibliographies for essays and research papers.
Imagine Symbols - 4000 free realistic symbols. Import these into your clip art folder for easy access.
Audacity - Free, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds
Jott - Use a cell phone to send emails or voice messages, great for students to send themselves reminders, homework assignments, to-do lists, summaries of class instruction ,etc. This can be an effective strategy for students with executive function, organization or written output issues. Check out additional ideas here in this blog post.
Pics4Learning - copyright friendly image library for teachers and students
Additional Strategies
Create customized lined paper using the Line tool within the Drawing Toolbar within Word. Give students the choice of lined paper within your classrooms including mid-lined paper.
Customize the toolbar in Word; remove extraneous icons on the Standard and Formatting Toolbars and add the "Insert Sound Object" icon so that it is readily available for student or teacher use. (There are numerous options for this "Power of Voice" feature - this is a very powerful tool!)
Enlarge the icons on your customized toolbar in Word
Embed verbal prompts in your documents for student support.
There are so many options, AT does not have to be expensive! Always remember that it is not about the tool but what the tool offers our struggling students, an alternative way to gain access to the curriculum and/or demonstrate what they know.
Free Text-to-Speech
(Why? Two reasons - 1. It is essential for struggling readers; when text is digital it is now accessible and 2. it supports the writing process, especially when editing and revising work)
((Word Talk is a MUST have download! There are a number of other programs but these are preferred because they work right within the program AND highlight the text as it is read. No need to open a new window.)
Free Speech-to-Text
- It is built into Office 2003 for Windows and VISTA. Explore it.
Free Literacy Tools- StarFall - Pre-K - 2nd grade online activities that promote literacy
- GenieBooks - Decodable books in Powerpoint
- Story Line Online - Listen to stories read by Screen Actors Guild members - follow along with the text
- Planet eBooks - Free classic literature to download (middle school and up)
- Cast UDL Book Builder - Check out a previous post to learn about this free online tool for creating digital books with embedded prompts.
- UDL Editions - Leveled support for seven texts geared for ages 10 and up
- Poetry Foundation - free resource to find poetry by category, by name, by title, by author, or by first line. It's digital, attach a voice and it's now accessible!
Free Graphic Organizers- Bubbl.us - free brainstorming and organizing tool
- Mindomo - online mind-mapping tool, easily share with others
- Belvedere - designed for k-12 population
- CMAP - concept maps
- Free Mind - mind-mapping tool
- Mindomo - mind-mapping tool
- MindMeister - online collaborative graphic organizing tool
- Exploratree - thinking guides and more (definitely worth exploring)
- Dabbleboard - freehand graphic organizer and visual whiteboard, fun and easy to use
Writing Tools- Let Me Type -Free Word Prediction
- Wacky Web Tales - an online "madlib" tool
- Writing Fix - Interactive Writing Prompts
- Read/write/think - Interactive digital activities (click the student materials link and then click the interactive links - there are many to choose from)
- Our Story, Mnemograph - collaborative, online Time Line tools
- ToonDoo - Online comic strip creator
- Ghotit - Online context spell checker service, the BEST spell checker for students with LDs! Tell them to add it to their home computers.
Math ToolsStudy Skills Tools
- CueCard - an electronic flashcard program download with multiple features including ability to import audio and graphics. Keeps track of correct responses and can be printed out.
- Study Stack - create interactive web-based flashcards or use ones that are already created; if you use stacks that are already created, check them first as there are errors in several of the created stacks.
- Flash Card Machine - allows the user to create interactive web-based study flash cards.
- Flash Card Friends - online, interactive flash cards
- Quizlet - described as an online tool for learning vocabulary
- Awesome Highlighter - tool that highlights text on a web page; save the URL or email it
- Create note taking templates in Word
- Use "Power of Color" within Word (background color, highlighting color and font color tools) to reinforce concepts, to determine salient points and for review
- Use the "Organizational Chart" in the Diagram Gallery that is part of the Drawing Toolbar in Word to reinforce concepts and relationships which promotes learning.
- In Word, press the Alt tab + mouse click within a word to access the Research pane. When you are online, you will instantly get a definition of the word.
Research Tools- UDL Strategy Tutor>
- Bib Me - Bibliography Maker
Free Collaboration Tools (these are accessible anywhere!)- Google Docs and Spreadsheets - allows students to collaborate on work from any computer including while at home
- Zoho - full suite of online, collaboration tools - word processor, presentation, notetaking (can insert audio), spreadsheets, planner. Worth exploring!
- Go 2 Web 2.0 - here you will find every Web 2.0 application imaginable. There are tools for everything. Constantly updated!
- Web 2.0 Tools - (These tools especially benefit the learner with reading, organizational or attentional issues as the material can be easily retrieved, read or listened to online)
- Wikis - provide group collaboration opportunities and study guides
- Blogs - provide opportunities for written expression without time constraints and can use text-to-speech, spell check, grammar check etc. before posting. Blogs are great for students who are less vocal IN class, for a variety of reasons, but still want a chance to participate in discussions
- Podcasts/videocasts
- Web-based social bookmarking tools such as Delicious or Portaportal - create class favorites that your students can retrieve anywhere to help them study
- Voice Thread - capture audio for online digital storytelling. THIS IS A MUST HAVE! The pro version is free to K-12 educators.
- Photo Story 3 for Windows - you will be amazed at how quickly you can create slide shows or movies from your class photos. Upload your photos in seconds, easily add music and you have a year end presentation of your class activities. MANY other uses.
- ScrapBlog - Create online multimedia scrapbooks from your text, video, audio and photos
- Flip Books - Create online multimedia scrapbooks from your text and photos
- Animoto - create fully customized videos of user-selected images and music almost instantaneously. The web appliciaiotn does all the work once you select your images and audio. This one is so cool!
- Building Wings: How I Made it Through School - A free "Readers Theater Implementation Toolkit" accompanies this autobiography by Don Johnston "which helps learners take charge of their learning potential!" Learned about this from Valerie who left a comment.
Additional Free ToolsMultimedia and Digital Storytelling Tools
- Project Spectrum - Google Sketchup Tutorial for use with students on the Autism Spectrum
- ZacBrowser - Web Browser designed by a grandfather for his grandson who is on the Autism Spectrum. Appropriate for young children or those with developmental disabilities
- Do to Learn - Free Feelings and Emotions Games, excellent for social skills instruction, also check out the Fire Safety and Street Safety songs for students with cognitive disabilities
- Yackpack - audio email or free live conferencing
- Eyejot - "Video messaging in a blink," video email tool
- Better Fonts - Dafonts - free fonts
- PDF Creator or Cute pdf - free PDF conversion tools
- Diigo - a powerful social annotation research tool, with highlighting features
- Cast UDL Lesson Builder - provides educators with models and tools to create and adapt lessons that increase access and participation in the general education curriculum for all students.
- Checklists - linear alternative to rubrics, easily create guides for students' projects.
- Visual Schedules - best for younger students.
- Note Star - helps organize notes and bibliographies for essays and research papers.
- Imagine Symbols - 4000 free realistic symbols. Import these into your clip art folder for easy access.
- Audacity - Free, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds
- Jott - Use a cell phone to send emails or voice messages, great for students to send themselves reminders, homework assignments, to-do lists, summaries of class instruction ,etc. This can be an effective strategy for students with executive function, organization or written output issues. Check out additional ideas here in this blog post.
- Click N Type Virtual On Screen Keyboard
- Pics4Learning - copyright friendly image library for teachers and students
Additional Strategies- Create customized lined paper using the Line tool within the Drawing Toolbar within Word. Give students the choice of lined paper within your classrooms including mid-lined paper.
- Customize the toolbar in Word; remove extraneous icons on the Standard and Formatting Toolbars and add the "Insert Sound Object" icon so that it is readily available for student or teacher use. (There are numerous options for this "Power of Voice" feature - this is a very powerful tool!)
- Enlarge the icons on your customized toolbar in Word
- Embed verbal prompts in your documents for student support.
There are so many options, AT does not have to be expensive! Always remember that it is not about the tool but what the tool offers our struggling students, an alternative way to gain access to the curriculum and/or demonstrate what they know.